Feargal Sharkey

[108831]

We have legislation that tells the water companies how much raw sewage they can release when the rivers are over certain levels and not before,but they are,it is in place,so there simply MUST be a loophole otherwise the AT would be suing....that is if the EA aren't prepared to...

 

[Badgerale]

The problem I see with the GP Mark is that government is about far more than just the Environment and I simply don't see sufficient depth or width of potential GP MP candidates . . . . . . . without causing offence one can say that they truly are a one-trick-pony Party, as well meaning as they undoubtedly are . . . .

As important as the environment is, and will be in the future, government (or even opposition) is a far more wide reaching set of subjects.

I don't see this as a reason not to vote green, because they, realistically, will never be in power.

What a rising vote for the greens will do is pressure the government to enact green policies to avoid losing environmentally conscious voters.

Dramatically we saw what UKIP achieved without ever looking likely to form a government.

 

[Peter Jacobs]

I don't see this as a reason not to vote green, because they, realistically, will never be in power.

What a rising vote for the greens will do is pressure the government to enact green policies to avoid losing environmentally conscious voters.

Dramatically we saw what UKIP achieved without ever looking likely to form a government.

Realistically they just don't seem to have the depth of talent to influence a government or their policies as currently there is just one MP (Caroline Lucas) and Two members in the Lords . . .

As for the effect of ukip, well, I rest my case, as in my view no "party" has done more damage to the uk since the war years . . . . Populism doesn't necessarily replace experience and/or qualifications.

If, however, you read the 2019 GP manifesto then you will see they are fully in favour of the uk in the EU . . .so how does that sit with those who laud their green and climate change ;policies?
(In fact the uk and European Greens in the EU did do a pretty good job, but then their numbers were more significant)

 

[Bluenose]

I don't see this as a reason not to vote green, because they, realistically, will never be in power.

What a rising vote for the greens will do is pressure the government to enact green policies to avoid losing environmentally conscious voters.

Dramatically we saw what UKIP achieved without ever looking likely to form a government.

I agree, that is unless we get a version of PR, when they may then have a bigger sway. However I can't see the establishment turkeys voting for xmas.

 

[no-one in particular]

I think all this negative stuff about the greens misses the point, all parties have to start from somewhere, they are bigger in Europe and much more respected, they are getting bigger here and gaining respect. There inexperience can be a positive thing, if we just vote for politics and politicians with experience then we forever just get the same old and the same old problems. Sometimes you just got to go with the gut and back what you think is right.

 

[steve2]

If I have got the age demographic right for this forum most of us won't live long enough to see the changes that we are all talking about and want to see happen. How grand children and great children might.

 

[108831]

There will be no changes and global warming will destroy us all,because money is all that matters,simple really..

 

[bullet]

I'm just waiting for when we start shooting stuff into the atmosphere to provide a degree of shading rather than deal with the core issues.....

 

[xenon]

Regardless of whatever other policies they put forward I might agree with, hell will freeze over before I will vote Green whilst they support gender self ID (for those new to this, this means you are legally a women if you say you are. No, really, thats it-blokes swanning round swimming pool ladies changing rooms flashing meat and two veg in front of 8 year old girls is just the start of that madness)

 

[no-one in particular]

Regardless of whatever other policies they put forward I might agree with, hell will freeze over before I will vote Green whilst they support gender self ID (for those new to this, this means you are legally a women if you say you are. No, really, thats it-blokes swanning round swimming pool ladies changing rooms flashing meat and two veg in front of 8 year old girls is just the start of that madness)

Interesting, I never knew that so I looked it up, there is some headline about the Scottish GP supporting it and the English GP not and they are arguing about it. I looked through the GP policies on sexual gender and could not see any reference to it, there is quite a lot of it so could have missed it, there is a lot of stuff about human rights and sexual orientation but nothing about gender self ID that I could see. They are saying it is the right of anyone over the age of 16 and I think that is important; to choose whatever gender they wish to be.
I find it all a bit a load of palaver this stuff to be honest but it seems it is important to some people and I don't find anything to fear from it personally; I doubt it is going to initiate some mad rush to do so. If some people over the age of 16 wish to change their gender that was given them at birth then that is up to them. It is like all parties, you cannot just cherry pick what policies you wish to vote for with any party unfortunately, far more important than this to me are their policies on social housing and dealing with pollution for example. These are far more pressing issues this century and their policies are better than the other parties for me. Of course, I leave everyone else to make their own mind up, I am just highlighting the fact the GP have in my opinion better policies than the other parties for tackling pollution in rivers which is of great concern to anglers and pollution in general amongst other things; given the failure of the last 50 years for anyone else to tackle it I think that is important. However, I understand it all has to be weighed up in the balance.

 

[theartist]

I'm just waiting for when we start shooting stuff into the atmosphere to provide a degree of shading rather than deal with the core issues.....

A comet called Apohis is set to pass Earth by less than 20,000 miles on Friday 13th 2029, which is like a 100mph bouncer missing your nose but tickling the nasal hair. So we may not need to worry to much about political allegiances

Aparrently if it hits, Brexit will be to blame

 

[xenon]

Interesting, I never knew that so I looked it up, there is some headline about the Scottish GP supporting it and the English GP not and they are arguing about it. I looked through the GP policies on sexual gender and could not see any reference to it, there is quite a lot of it so could have missed it, there is a lot of stuff about human rights and sexual orientation but nothing about gender self ID that I could see. They are saying it is the right of anyone over the age of 16 and I think that is important; to choose whatever gender they wish to be.
I find it all a bit a load of palaver this stuff to be honest but it seems it is important to some people and I don't find anything to fear from it personally; I doubt it is going to initiate some mad rush to do so. If some people over the age of 16 wish to change their gender that was given them at birth then that is up to them. It is like all parties, you cannot just cherry pick what policies you wish to vote for with any party unfortunately, far more important than this to me are their policies on social housing and dealing with pollution for example. These are far more pressing issues this century and their policies are better than the other parties for me. Of course, I leave everyone else to make their own mind up, I am just highlighting the fact the GP have in my opinion better policies than the other parties for tackling pollution in rivers which is of great concern to anglers and pollution in general amongst other things; given the failure of the last 50 years for anyone else to tackle it I think that is important. However, I understand it all has to be weighed up in the balance.

I agree, be what you want to be, dress and appear as you wish-most sensible people neither mind nor care-but, but the line is drawn at the point that you can legally change sex just by your own say so. Male rapists (Karen White for one-look it up) have been placed in womens prisons because they have declared themselves to be women and then gone on to assault prisoners in jail-this is stark raving madness. Check out graham Linehan's website for more info on this developing craziness.

 

[John Aston]

Raw sh1t is being poured into our rivers on a daily basis, up and down the country, often without without punishment for offenders. The water companies make astronomical sums of money out of the British taxpayer, despite the fact they are often the worst polluters in the country. That's a fact, not a conspiracy.

I think that should be front page news, and the leading story on every broadcaster network because the implications for human health, let alone the environmental impact is massive. I think that real journalism would see this for the outrage that it is and report accordingly, but they don't, hence the majority of the population are blissfully unaware of what is going on, including, it seems, yourself.

That's just my opinion, again, not a conspiracy.

I read The Times, and the water quality problem is often reported . But as for leading story - hardly - come on, an ongoing water problem will never have the same impact as , say Brexit , Covid , Kabul etc. You suggest I'm unaware of the problem - hardly , I've been involved in monitoring water quality by invertebrate sampling for many years, have made representations about outfalls, and abstraction as well as meeting EA staff on pollution concerns . But it isn't sexy news , and reporting it in the way you suggest will have little impact until people have dry taps or polluted drinking water

 

[nottskev]

The quality press (or msm, lol) covers environmental issues well, as Grayson says. For instance, I was reading about the Yorkshire river bathing water quality business in the paper quite a while back. We do, in a very real sense, get what we vote for. A vote-winning political offer will typically pitch individual prosperity against investment in our common good and public infrastructure. Anything that threatens to curb or interfere with an individual's lifestyle choices, even those that contribute directly to our biggest social, health or environmental problems, will be denigrated as punitive taxation. nanny-state interference, tree-hugger extremism etc. The bind we seem to be unable to break out of is wanting improvement without paying for it. I was just reading an interesting little book on "bad" language by a couple of sociolinguists. Respondents in a large-scale survey about swearing were asked whether they want their children to swear. Overwhelmingly, "no". Do they themselves swear? Overwhelmingly, "yes". That's us again - we will the ends but not the means.

 

[no-one in particular]

bb

I agree, be what you want to be, dress and appear as you wish-most sensible people neither mind nor care-but, but the line is drawn at the point that you can legally change sex just by your own say so. Male rapists (Karen White for one-look it up) have been placed in womens prisons because they have declared themselves to be women and then gone on to assault prisoners in jail-this is stark raving madness. Check out graham Linehan's website for more info on this developing craziness.

I will just take your word for it.

 

[xenon]

bb

I will just take your word for it.

No need for that-here is the proof-https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-45825838

 

[no-one in particular]

No need for that-here is the proof-https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-45825838

You misunderstand me, "I take your word for it" means I believe you. I am just not in the mood to go looking up stories about rapists and murderers in prison or discussing it.

 

[xenon]

You misunderstand me, "I take your word for it" means I believe you. I am just not in the mood to go looking up stories about rapists and murderers in prison or discussing it.

Fair enough. I dont want to come over as some kind of fanatic but this trans rights nonsense has been getting way out of hand for while now and needs putting a stop to.

 

[Bluenose]

I read The Times, and the water quality problem is often reported . But as for leading story - hardly - come on, an ongoing water problem will never have the same impact as , say Brexit , Covid , Kabul etc. You suggest I'm unaware of the problem - hardly , I've been involved in monitoring water quality by invertebrate sampling for many years, have made representations about outfalls, and abstraction as well as meeting EA staff on pollution concerns . But it isn't sexy news , and reporting it in the way you suggest will have little impact until people have dry taps or polluted drinking water

My suggestion that you were unaware stemmed from the fact you reverted straight to 'conspiracy theory websites' when everything I'd stated was either factual or merely my own opinion. Your response just came across a bit lazy and ill thought out tbh.

I would agree totally that it's not sexy news. My opinion is that the scale of the problem is vastly under reported and far too little pressure is brought on to the govt by the press in this country.

When, and if, the taps are dry, or that drinking water is polluted, then it will be sexy, but of course by then it may also be too late. Although now that the discharge rules have been eased, one could argue that it's already too late for many rivers and beaches, and any environmental or health problems arising, won't be sexy news either, for the foreseeable future at least.

 

[John Aston]

It must be because, almost every time I encounter the abbreviation MSM , it prefaces right wing conspiracy theories . As for applying pressure on government , most papers do that daily - it is their raison d'etre . Much as I am concerned about water quality as an angler , I acknowledge that , like myriad other issues , it won't get front page status merely because I have a special interest in it.